Medicine-Stealing Housing Director Arrested in Kalamazoo County after Wild Chase
(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 5, 2015)
With a charge of violation of probation pending, former Ferndale Housing Director Deborah Wilson is now housed in Kalamazoo County Jail after police say she went on a dangerously wild ride for over 20 miles on the West Side of the state. Wilson’s legal woes have snowballed since she was arrested for going into the apartments of seniors and disabled people to steal their prescription medication while on the job as director of the housing program
A police officer described chasing Wilson and her subsequent arrest in the April 23 arrest report:
“…at approximately 1920 hours I overheard dispatch with the broadcast in reference to reckless driver westbound on I 94 coming from Calhoun County and possibly now in the area east of Galesburg. Dispatch advised they had received several phone calls in reference to a white Ford 
Escape driving recklessly which had already struck the cement barrier and also run off on the shoulder of the right side of the highway striking the guard rail. At the time of the dispatch I was near the intersection of West Main and Ninth Street in Oshtemo Township,” Deputy April Barfoot wrote.
Deputy Barfoot positioned her vehicle by a concrete barrier in wait for the vehicle in question.
“Moments later I saw a white compact SUV passed my field of view and a very high rate of speed. I merged onto the highway and activated my siren as my lights were already on I watch 
the vehicle Fishtail as it was smoking and almost hit a semi and another passenger car. Once I was able to catch up to the vehicle I looked down at my speedometer to see the speeds were approximately 90 to 92 mph and the vehicle was continuing west bound…
“After passing US 131 I was able to see the driver side front tire was missing from the vehicle and speeds were still in excess of 90 mph. I feared any sudden jerking motion of the steering wheel or lane change would cause the suspect vehicle to catch the metal rim and roll causing an accident and then a domino effect of the heavy traffic that was still traveling the highway. The driver had not made any change in speed with my lights and sirens and maintained traveling in the left-hand lane.”
Other Deputies joined in, forming a box around Wilson’s SUV and gradually slowing the speed 
from 90 mph to a stop. Deputy Barfoot and Deputy Jesse Binns approached the vehicle, where the driver, Deborah Wilson, was alone.
Deputy Barfoot’s report continues “She was asking trooper Binns ‘What did I do? What did I do?’ I asked her if she in a diabetic or any medical issues. She said no and look to be bewildered and shocked, as if she did not know what was going on. As I pushed my way back out of the car after reaching across to grab the keys I saw an empty battle of white wine in the passenger floorboard. I asked her if she had taken any drugs or medication and she said no. I asked her if she had been drinking and she said no. Trooper Binns requested she step outside of the vehicle and off to the side of the roadway Trooper Binns then began and 0W I investigation.”
The documents released do not reveal if there was a breathalyzer test given. However, Wilso
n is currently being held in Kalamazoo County Jail on a charge of fourth degree fleeing from a police officer, under Michigan statute 257.602A2. This is a felony punishable by up to two years of incarceration.
Wilson is scheduled for hearing on violation of probation on May 7.
She is accused of violating probation after she pled no contest to two felony home invasion charges and one felony drug possession charge. Wilson admitted going into the apartments of seniors and disabled people at the Withington Apartments in Ferndale, and stealing their prescription medications and replacing them with Tylenol pills. Wilson was Director of the Ferndale Housing Program, which is an independent agency operating in Ferndale and largely regulated by HUD.
Since her arrest in November 2014, HUD has come in to investigate the program, and the City of Ferndale stepped in to appoint two new members to the Housing Commission that oversees the 
program. Many problems have been revealed over the past few months thanks to HUD and the media, including efforts by the administration to silence residents such as not allowing public comment and closing common areas of the building, lawsuits over the voucher program, a questionable budget approval process, chronic bedbug problems and more. The new Commissioners – Mayor Pro Tem Dan Martin and FernCare President and community activist Ann Heler – are slated to have their first meeting May 20. The HUD report is also due out this month.
Following Wilson’s conviction, the Housing Commission allowed her to resign and gave her $130,000 severance package. Justin Smith, Attorney for the Commission, negotiated the settlement, stating that Wilson could have sued the Commission for more for ending her 
contract early.
Wilson is expected to be transported from Kalamazoo to Oakland County for Court Thursday.
Previous stories:
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/06/19/protesters-claim-racism-in-ferndale-housing-commission-dispute/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/11/06/housing-director-arrested-on-suspicion-of-entering-apartment-stealing-pills/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/11/20/seniors-hope-to-regain-their-voice-as/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2014/12/22/directors-arrest-just-tip-of-housing-commission-problems-video/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/01/21/hud-review-coming-and-changes-happening-at-ferndale-housing-commission/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/01/22/former-ferndale-housing-director-pleads-no-contest-to-home-invasion-drug-possession/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/02/18/after-drug-and-home-invasion-plea-ferndale-housing-director-gets-130000-payout-from-commission/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/02/26/housing-director-convicted-of-entering-seniors-apartments-stealing-medication-gets-probation/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/03/10/former-housing-director-violates-probation-faces-new-sentence-for-entering-homes-and-stealing-medicine-from-seniors/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/04/14/residents-ask-ferndale-city-council-for-help-with-housing-commission-complaints-video/
https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/04/24/ferndale-finds-a-way-city-to-appoint-two-new-housing-commissioners/
NOTE: Police Reports come directly from the Police Department or agency involved and are written by the person or agency listed below the title. We generally run these “as is” or with minimal editing for punctuation, spelling, etc. Suspects should not be presumed guilty. Those needing more information about a case are encouraged to follow up with the reporting agency or court system for the most current information.
Top Bar Menu
Oakland County Times
Reader supported local journalism
